The Republican primary election in a rural Arizona district is shaping up to be an exciting one, as a term-limited member of the House has announced he will challenge the district's incumbent Republican senator.

A House committee has given its approval to a bill that would allow some schools to opt out of the state's structured program for teaching students English, which was instituted in order to comply with a federal lawsuit.

Rep. Sam Crump, a Republican from Anthem who is in his second term, told Arizona Capitol Times he will turn in his letter of resignation today to focus his efforts on earning the Republican nomination in Arizona's 3rd Congressional District.

Based on unofficial estimates, the state missed out on more than $100 million in tax collections last year because the Legislature's cutbacks forced the Arizona Department of Revenue to lay off hundreds of employees, including auditors and tax collectors.

The House of Representatives has approved a bill to stimulate economic development by cutting taxes and creating new incentives for businesses, despite complaints from critics that the measure was rushed through before it could be understood completely.

Legislative budget analysts gave lawmakers a list of options they can use to erase billions of dollars of red ink this year. The solutions range from the elimination of some government services to sharply increasing property taxes.